Self medication with T3

[Vixmeech34]

Hello I am new to this site but I am desperate for some advice

About me.. 34 year old Mother of 2, diagnosed as hypothyroid 18 months ago after feeling unwell and gaining 2 stone very quickly without a change to my diet, I was prescribed levo 50mcg and have felt even worse since, my levels are at the lower end of normal, I'm extremely fatigued and take naps daily, my joints are seriously painful, I eat clean ansd have cut many foods out of my diet that compromise thyroid function, I am active, and exercise daily, and love doing daily yoga, I have cut out most chemicals in my daily health and beauty regime opting for natural and organic homemade products, I have tried supplements such as iodine and selenium etc, but I still feel no better, I have asked to be refered to an endocrinologist but they refused to see me, Iv been refused T3 and Natural thyroid such as armour (which is my preference) I feel like I'm not being listened to, I feel like Iv been left alone to deal with this with no help, advice etc... I'm hoping I can find some here

My most recent trip to the doctors resulted in me being told due to availability, guidelines and budgets I was refused natural thyroid even though the only way to obtain it is with a prescription doctors are unwilling to prescribe, I asked about trying T3 but same story, I told my doctor I can't keep on like this and I will resort to buying online, and I was told to make sure with blood tests that they know what I'm taking... That's it!!!! I'm going for cortisol bloodwork tomorrow and they are testing to see if it could be hashimotos after iv pretty much begged, but other than that I'm on my own... Does anyone else self medicate? Or know any doctors I'm portsmouth that would be willing to help?

Thank you for taking the time to read

Hope you all had a great bank holiday

[Jazzw]

Are you still only on 50mcg of Levo? If so, that's very unlikely to be enough. Do you have any blood test results to share?

[Vixmeech34 in reply to Jazzw]

Hello thank you for replying

I have no idea what level numbers mean, doctor said I'm lower end of normal but my medication doesn't need adjusting, but because of the low dose and normal level I feel like I'm being brushed off

My pathology print out reads

TSH 1:14

Then there is something else which reads Mu/L 0.35-5.0

No idea what that is haha

That's the only tests iv had even though iv asked for more

I am getting cortisol and thyroid antibodies test tomorrow

[Vixmeech34 in reply to Vixmeech34]

P.s And yes still on the same dose

[Jazzw in reply to Vixmeech34]

I kind of want to cry when I read posts like yours. 50mcg is only a starter dose. Doctors are unbelievably fixated on what the TSH reading is - but it's largely irrelevant. To know what's going on, your doctor needs to test FT4 and FT3 to see what your circulating levels of thyroid hormone actually are. You need an increase in dose, never mind about NDT or T3. It might be worth asking your doctor if he'd consider raising your dose to 75mcg.

[Vixmeech34]

Wow! Just like that iv had more understanding and more information from you than any doctor, thank you, as I sit here I'm in agony and I know this is not right

I think you are right.. I'm going to have these tests then make another appointment with a different doctor maybe and ask about increasing, I think I have a spare packet of medication that if they refuse that also I may give it a try for a couple of weeks... I honestly can not keep on like this

[Vixmeech34]

Oh and when I mentioned Ft3/4 she didn't seem to understand what I was talking about 😔

[Jazzw in reply to Vixmeech34]

No. That's not uncommon. Astonishing, but true.

OK, a few other things to think about. If you've been unwell for a while, there's a good chance you're anaemic. Once again, GPs often focus on just one of the tests - your haemoglobin levels - when ferritin (iron storage) should also be tested. Without sufficient levels your body will find it difficult to convert T4 to T3 - the active form of thyroid hormone.

Secondly, you may be vitamin B12 deficient. Symptoms of deficiency mimic those of low thyroid and the two conditions often go together, due in part to hypothyroidism causing digestive issues and slowing down the rate of vitamin absorption in your gut.

Thirdly - yes, this goes on and on - you may be vitamin D deficient, which again is very common, especially here in the UK.

It's great that you're getting tested for antibodies - hopefully you'll get to determine whether you have Hashimoto's.

[Jazzw in reply to Jazzw]

Oh, and in future when you have blood tests taken, don't take your thyroid meds for the 24hrs before the test, and just have water before you go if possible.

[Vixmeech34]

Thank you soo much for all of your advice

I am taking multivitamins and iron, along with selenium, iodine and probiotics as I do suffer with constipation and slow digestion, I may take an individual B12 to make sure,

I'm soo pleased I'm getting my antibodies tested iv asked soo many times so I'm really happy, as I said to the doctor some supplements you should either avoid or take more of with hashimotos and without knowing which I am I could be taking the wrong thing

I won't take my medication in the morning so should be 24 hours by the time I get to the hospital

I just looked on your profile, and noticed you are taking natural thyroid, which one are you taking and how do you go about getting it? I would love to try it at some point.. I hate the thought of being on synthetic medication for the rest of my life

[Clutter in reply to Vixmeech34]

Vixmeech, you need to use the orange Reply button underneath the post of the member you are responding to. The member you are replying to then gets an email and on-site notification you have responded. Jazz may not see your reply otherwise.

[Vixmeech34 in reply to Clutter]

Oh I thought I did haha, still trying to work this all out

Thank you 😊